How To Make a Choc Smoothie Bowl Boost Active Recovery

There is nothing better than a yummy smoothie! But how do we make it actually boost recovery for the active? The key is to ensure that you have covered the essential 3 R’s of recovery – Refuel, Repair and Rehydrate. This Choc Smoothie Bowl with Raspberry Sauce has so many great ingredients to assist in good recovery and nutrition after training.

The 3 R’s of Recovery

In order to maximise recovery after exercise, it is important to include these 3 elements in your post training nutrition:

Refuel with 1-1.2g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight as soon as possible after training (within 1 hour).

Repair with 10-20g of protein as soon as possible (within 30 minutes) after training.

Ingredients

Method

Firstly, heat or microwave raspberries to soften.

Then mash with a fork and leave to cool.

Next, put the bananas, peanut butter, milk and cacao powder in a blender. (We love to use our NutriBullet* for this – so quick and easy, especially for smoothies with frozen fruit!) Whizz up until thick and creamy.

Finally, transfer smoothie into a bowl and top with raspberry sauce and coconut chips.

Notes

If you prefer a thicker consistency for your Choc Smoothie Bowl, you can add extra pieces of frozen banana.

Choc Smoothie Bowl Benefits for the Active

The Choc Smoothie Bowl offers nutrient rich carbohydrates, protein and hydration to aid recovery after training. Here is a list of recovery benefits from each of the ingredients used.

Bananas are a great source of carbohydrates for refueling. Two medium to large bananas provides around 50g of nutrient dense carbohydrates . 1 They are also made up of 75% water which is great for rehydration and contain minimal fat. 2

Peanut butter is rich in protein and fibre. We use an all natural “peanut only” spread, with no added sugar – or added anything at all!

Milk is a great source of protein and water needed for recovery repair and hydration. It is also high in calcium which is essential for bone strength. This particularly important for still developing sporty kids. One cup of low fat milk provides around 10g of high value protein, with essential amino acids required to build muscle tissue. 3 Milk is a also good source of rehydration. Compared to a sports drink and water, a study showed milk can be an effective post-exercise rehydration drink. It can, therefore, be considered as a good source of fluid after exercise by everyone except those individuals who have lactose intolerance. 4

Raw Cacao Powder is the highest natural source of antioxidants. 5 It is also very rich in flavanols which offer anti-inflammatory benefits. 6

Raspberries are also great for recovery with their anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants.

Coconuts are very nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins and also minerals. In addition, they are also a rich source of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) 7 that are more efficiently converted into fuel than longer chain triglycerides. 89 This makes them ideal for refueling for the next training session.

*Active + Nourished is a Nourished Life affiliate which means that if you choose to purchase through this link we will receive a small commission from the sale at no extra cost to you. This will assist in the development and maintenance of the Active + Nourished website.

Thanks Rebekah! Great alternative suggestions. There is also lactose-free milk you can try. You get the calcium and essential amino acid benefits of normal milk with the addition of lactase to assist in your lactose intolerance.